Author: Young Investigators Review

The Young Investigators Review is Stony Brook University's undergraduate-oriented, all-inclusive science journal. Founded in 2008, our mission is to provide the student community with a way to learn more about the research currently being done on-campus by their faculty and fellow peers. We feature articles that span all fields, from Physics to Neuroscience, as well as original student research reports straight from the campus laboratories. Our journal offers aspiring talented future researchers and physicians a way to hone their science writing skills and spread word of their experiences to inspire incoming students to think about devoting their futures to the various fields of science.
2022-23, Cellular and Molecular Science, Genetics, Molecular Biology

A Genetic Change Delivered via Gel Treatment for Epidermolysis bullosa Patients Shows Promise

Melanie Karniewich ’25 Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a rare genetic condition that causes serious blisters to the skin from minor occurrences like rubbing or scratching the skin. In severe cases, blistering can happen inside the body like the mouth or lining of the stomach. Mutations in EB disable genes for the specific proteins that allow the layers of someone’s skin and the lining of organs … Continue reading A Genetic Change Delivered via Gel Treatment for Epidermolysis bullosa Patients Shows Promise

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2022-23, Brain, Degenerative Disease, General Neuroscience

EEG Analysis Reveals Association Between Parkinson’s Disease with Visual Hallucinations and Epileptic Discharges

Jessica George ’24 Psychosis in Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is characterized by visual hallucinations (VHs). These VHs have a significant impact on patient’s lives and serve as a reliable predictor for future nursing home institutionalization. Several disorders such as Charles Bonnet syndrome and temporal lobe epilepsy have similar features to those of PD VHs. In the aforementioned disorders, EEG analysis revealed epileptiform discharges, which led researchers … Continue reading EEG Analysis Reveals Association Between Parkinson’s Disease with Visual Hallucinations and Epileptic Discharges

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2022-23, Brain, Degenerative Disease, General Neuroscience, Neuroscience

Exercise Was Successfully Able to Restore Brain Insulin Responsiveness in Overweight and Obese Individuals Living a Sedentary Life

Jessica George ’24 When the brain is resistant to insulin, the body tends to gain weight and distribute fat unfavorably. Resistance to insulin is one of the main characteristics of disorders such as type 2 diabetes and obesity. Today, it is unknown whether it is possible to completely reverse insulin resistance in the brain. Researchers at the Institute for Diabetes Research and Metabolic Diseases of … Continue reading Exercise Was Successfully Able to Restore Brain Insulin Responsiveness in Overweight and Obese Individuals Living a Sedentary Life

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2022-23, Environment, Natural World

Listen to Your Heart: The Risk of Spatial Environmental Factors on CVD-related and All-cause Mortality

Peter Gillespie ’25 Recent research from Dr. Paola Boffetta and his colleagues suggest that spatial and environmental factors around us can negatively affect our well-being. Dr. Boffetta and his team conducted a study that assesses how spatial environmental factors (SEF), or our proximity to both harmful or helpful environmental and social influences, affect both all-cause mortality and mortality due to cardiovascular disease (CVD).  The study … Continue reading Listen to Your Heart: The Risk of Spatial Environmental Factors on CVD-related and All-cause Mortality

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2022-23, Cancer, Health and Medicine, Medicine and Physiology

Increased Movement of Cancer Cells in Fluids of High Viscosity Hints at Possible Control Mechanism

Sooraj Shah ’24 With more than 1.9 million individuals in the US being diagnosed with cancer each year, research revolving around the behavior of cancer cells is an important aspect of the search for better treatments. The study of cancer cells in biological assays within a lab has led to great research regarding the structure, motion, and activity of cancer cells in-vitro. A specific part … Continue reading Increased Movement of Cancer Cells in Fluids of High Viscosity Hints at Possible Control Mechanism

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2022-23, COVID-19, Health and Medicine

As the Covid Pandemic Grew, Concern for Climate Change Shriveled

Sooraj Shah ’24 The COVID-19 pandemic has been featured on every television and newspaper since early 2020. Social media platforms were also covered with news about the virus including deaths, cases, and variants. As COVID grew, the coverage revolving around other public concerns seemingly took a back seat, one of these being climate change. A study led by Dr. Oleg Smirnov, a professor within the … Continue reading As the Covid Pandemic Grew, Concern for Climate Change Shriveled

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2022-23, Cancer, Health and Medicine

Investigating the Metabolism of Cancer

Julia Chivu ’24 A new drug has been developed to target the metabolism of cancer. Associate Professor Paul M. Bingham and Research Assistant Professor Zuzana Zachar from Stony Brook University developed a unique class of anticancer drugs–including the first-in-class and FDA-approved drug CPI-613. A first-in-class drug produces new treatment options or outcomes by exploring an unprecedented mechanism of action. CPI-613, also referred to as devimistat, … Continue reading Investigating the Metabolism of Cancer

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2022-23, Biology

Heart Medication as Potential Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder 

Julia Chivu ’24 Heart medication may serve a different purpose than its intended use. According to the National Institute of Health and other research partners, spironolactone may treat alcohol use disorder. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a brain disorder associated with chronic alcohol abuse, often causing increased rates of morbidity, mortality, and poverty. Since there are limited options for AUD treatment, researchers have turned to … Continue reading Heart Medication as Potential Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder 

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2022-23, Depression, General Psychology, Psychology

Brief Digital Interventions Can Alleviate Adolescent Depressive Symptoms

Vignesh Subramanian ’24 Depression is a mood disorder involving persistent feelings of dejection or hopelessness, difficulty with control of emotions, and loss of interest or pleasure in regular activities. As depressive disorders are increasingly recognized as a legitimate medical issue and treatment is destigmatized, younger generations in the United States have consistently reported higher rates of experiencing such conditions. However, less than half of afflicted … Continue reading Brief Digital Interventions Can Alleviate Adolescent Depressive Symptoms

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2022-23, Brain, General Neuroscience, Neuroscience

Novel Form of Noninvasive Neurosurgery Selectively Lesions Faulty Neural Circuitry

Vignesh Subramanian ’24 A number of movement disorders and motor neuron diseases, including focal epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, progressive muscular atrophy, and multiple sclerosis, are recognized as medically intractable or capable of becoming so. Intractable conditions lack known etiologies and have no established courses of treatment, with those in the neurological sphere often characterized by resistance to neural activity-suppressing medications (e.g. muscle relaxants, … Continue reading Novel Form of Noninvasive Neurosurgery Selectively Lesions Faulty Neural Circuitry

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2022-23, Biology

The Impact of Intestinal Microorganisms Should Not be Underestimated: Western-Style Diets May Lead to a Higher Risk of Colorectal Cancer

Zhifei Zeng ’23 Diet and nutrition are considered to be key factors in the development of colorectal cancer. Previous experiments have shown that a Western diet—with high intake of red and processed meats, sugar, and refined grains, and low intake of vegetables—can induce systemic and intestinal inflammation. These intestinal inflammations may alter populations of intestinal microorganisms. Many intestinal bacteria have been found to cause colorectal … Continue reading The Impact of Intestinal Microorganisms Should Not be Underestimated: Western-Style Diets May Lead to a Higher Risk of Colorectal Cancer

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2022-23, Depression, General Psychology

Psychological Applications of Machine Learning: Quantifying the Risk of Prenatal Depression

Zhifei Zeng ’23 Current research suggests that factors such as socioeconomic deprivation, inadequate prenatal care, unplanned pregnancy, and psychosocial vulnerability such as stress may contribute to prenatal depression. PROMOTE is a newly developed screening tool that identifies psychosocial vulnerability in prenatal populations by assessing social determinants of health, social resources, stress and health behaviors. A research group led by Heidi Preis of Stony Brook University … Continue reading Psychological Applications of Machine Learning: Quantifying the Risk of Prenatal Depression

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